Congratulations on passing your Brown Belt Test - that’s a milestone that not many students ever achieve. You have set yourself apart by your hard work, your attention to detail, and your commitment to reach your goals. All those things will serve you well as you begin the final phase of your journey to your Black Belt - the Black Belt Prep class!

Your progress in this class depends entirely on your work ethic. You can progress quickly if you attend class consistently, pay close attention to the instruction of your coaches, and spend time practicing at home. You’ll no longer be bound to cycles to determine how quickly you’re able to move from your current rank to the next. In Black Belt Prep, you’ll be expected to print a copy of the Black Belt test and bring it with you to each class. Your coaches will cover all material in class over the course of several weeks and with each curriculum element covered in class will offer you feedback or tell you that you have gotten that element “checked off.” Once you get a certain percentage of the curriculum checked off (as detailed on the cover sheet of the Black Belt test), you’ll be promoted to your next belt. The Prep program is designed to be comprehensive and exhaustive - you’re expected to know everything! You’ll also earn stripes to mark your progress as you complete each portion of the test’s requirements.

The Black Belt Prep program also opens a brand new opportunity to you - the chance to become a member of our competition team, TEAM ELITE. This is a tryout-only team that undergoes additional training in forms, weapons, and sparring with the intent of competition and demonstration.

At the Advanced Brown Belt level, when you complete all your requirements and have your curriculum checked off, you’ll be eligible to take a Novice Black Belt test. Passing that test along with successful completion of your Advanced Brown Belt checks will earn you a Novice Black Belt. At that point, you’ll be expected to get an entire test checked off in class and will receive a letter outlining the steps you need to take to be ready for your BLACK BELT TEST!

We are so proud of your progress, so excited about your future, and so grateful for your hard work. We can’t wait to put that BLACK BELT around your waist! This won’t always be easy, but we can guarantee that it will be worth the effort you put in. Keep your head up, keep working, and never give up! Remember that we believe in you no matter what!